Ebay Shipping Costs from Canadian Dealers with Canada

[GregN]

Hi all, I just won a badge on EBay Canada from a well known Canadian Dealer who I've bought and sold to for 30 years. The invoice for the badge includes a shipping cost of 30.00 US within Canada!

Yes, I get Canada Post is a black hole and has to make money but what pissed me off more is that the dealer genuinely expected me to pay 30.00 frickin US dollars to send it to my home in BC!

Now I "spoke" with a minion of the dealer and he's saying there's no guarantee that the badge will get there without the outrageous fee but that came out to more like a threat.

Is it just me that getting tired of paying the gargantuan CDA Post fees in US dollars and the item in US dollars all while being taken advantage of by the dealer and CDA Post?

So far, the minion has resent me an invoice with 5.00 US shipping but I fear he'll wrap it in tissue paper to make his point.

We'll see.

Greg

[slick_mick]

I'm also starting to see some UK sellers in eBay starting to charge silly prices for postage to Australia.

Bought a couple of patches from a seller in the UK that could easily be sent via a letter rate and got charged GBP8!

Works out at AUD $16-17 which is ripoff IMHO.

Mick

[48th]

I too am sick of some dealers charging ridiculous shipping costs.
Let us know what happens.

[Roy]

Hi Greg,

I had a recent experience from a UK seller (shipping to me here in Arizona). I hadn't actually won the item but questioned the outrageous and prohibitive shipping cost. I know what it 'actually' cost as I ship/receive internationally weekly.

They did eventually reply giving me a load of twoddle so I never placed a bid. But YES certainly hear where you are coming from old chap...bloody ridiculous..

Roy.

[slick_mick]

I wonder if some sellers jack up postage costs to compensate for eBay/Paypal fees?

Mick

[REMEVMBEA1]

Originally Posted by slick_mick

I wonder if some sellers jack up postage costs to compensate for eBay/Paypal fees?

Mick

I reckon they just think of a number and double it. It's not just badges , I've not bothered to buy several things off eBay because of the ridiculous P&P charges.

[altcar73]

As a UK seller on eBay perhaps I could make a couple of comments.

I very often exclude sales to countries outside the UK. I do this because I have in the past sent items to sellers using basic airmail rates (without insurance or tracking). On a number of occasions the sellers have said the items have not been received. Although I've in each case obtained a certificate of shipping, eBay have taken the cash from my account and have refunded the buyer the full cost of the item plus the postage. That is something which I'm no longer willing to sustain.

So, on those rare occasions when I now send items out of the UK I demand that the buyer pay for tracked and insured shipping. That might sound harsh but if you don't like the shipping charges then I think its fair to say that you should not bid on the item. I've even had buyers saying that they will accept responsibility if the item goes adrift. Well, although I do try to love my fellow man and trust him ....... That acceptance will not wash with eBay and again they will always back the buyer and give him his cash back if the item does not reach him. Another thing to bear in mind is that eBay now try to get all sellers to offer free postage. I don't know what planet these eBay people live on. Royal Mail is not a charity and nor am I. I believe that buyers want to see how much they are paying for an item, with no hidden costs. Nothing is free in this world, someone somewhere has to foot the bill.

But, if you don't offer free postage then eBay want their "cut" of what you charge! So, sellers who don't offer free postage now have to factor that in when setting the postal charges.

I am also a regular buyer on eBay so I can see it from both sides of the coin. That said, if I see that the seller is taking the p... with the shipping then I will not buy from them. That is the bottom line. And US sellers, well when you get a moment just take a gander at what some guys over there expect to collect for their shipping. They even try to get you to pay UK customs dues on items which are exempt and even more of a laugh, to pay those dues on items which it is totally illegal to import into the UK! But then that's eBay for you!

I could go on for a few more paras. but I'll leave it there for the moment.

Dave.

[leigh kitchen]

I used to buy militaria from America continually, umpteen items a month would arrive, postcards. medals, helmets, tons of the stuff.
I only had one or two "problems" with customs duty, everything seemed to sail through without charge. Now I buy nothing from America because of the high cost of postage & the fact that I'm getting another 20% stuck on top of postage by customs & I pay yet more money for the privilege of having the postal service hold the item hostage & send me a ransom note telling me to pay the duty.
So many great items to buy but they' all out of bounds to me now because the cost is doubled by postage etc.
Although I'm suspicious of some dealers postage costs in America & UK (& as for Serbia.....) my problems more with general cost of postage & customs duty.

[manchesters]

Originally Posted by slick_mick

I'm also starting to see some UK sellers in eBay starting to charge silly prices for postage to Australia.

Bought a couple of patches from a seller in the UK that could easily be sent via a letter rate and got charged GBP8!

Works out at AUD $16-17 which is ripoff IMHO.

Mick

Mick,

£8 is less than the cost of insured international shipping, so you did well IMHO.
If the item is not insured and it "doesn't arrive" the seller loses out every time.

I will only send items with a value of under £10 uninsured overseas.

regards

[slick_mick]

Hi Simon,

Goes to show that postage is becoming more of a ripoff.

Especially when you factor in exchange rate.

AUD$17 to postage to post a couple of patches in an envelope is ridiculous IMHO.

Mick

[Bill A]

The issue of shipping costs is seriously impacting our hobby. Nearly every Canadian I have spoken with say Ebay's GSP is a money grab on their part, which some dealers manipulate. Canada Post isn't far behind. Rates have climbed in the last few years and small packages with proof of delivery make it cost prohibitive to sell certain types of insignia. Perhaps this will spark more interest in local and region shows and fairs.

[rhodesianmilitaria]

Originally Posted by altcar73

As a UK seller on eBay perhaps I could make a couple of comments.

I very often exclude sales to countries outside the UK. I do this because I have in the past sent items to sellers using basic airmail rates (without insurance or tracking). On a number of occasions the sellers have said the items have not been received. Although I've in each case obtained a certificate of shipping, eBay have taken the cash from my account and have refunded the buyer the full cost of the item plus the postage. That is something which I'm no longer willing to sustain.

Call me lucky but in 12 years of selling on ebay (US $44,279 in sales to date) I have had one item that I sent that I was told wasn't received and some of the countries I have sent to included the US, Canada, South Africa and Russia.

Originally Posted by altcar73

So, on those rare occasions when I now send items out of the UK I demand that the buyer pay for tracked and insured shipping. That might sound harsh but if you don't like the shipping charges then I think its fair to say that you should not bid on the item. I've even had buyers saying that they will accept responsibility if the item goes adrift. Well, although I do try to love my fellow man and trust him ....... That acceptance will not wash with eBay and again they will always back the buyer and give him his cash back if the item does not reach him.

From one of my ebay listings. This is for any item that in an envelope is no higher than 5mm (Australia Post standard) ie, patches.
Postage for this item worldwide is AUD$2.80 except
Postage to Asia is AUD$1.95

Originally Posted by altcar73

Another thing to bear in mind is that eBay now try to get all sellers to offer free postage. I don't know what planet these eBay people live on. Royal Mail is not a charity and nor am I. I believe that buyers want to see how much they are paying for an item, with no hidden costs. Nothing is free in this world, someone somewhere has to foot the bill.
But, if you don't offer free postage then eBay want their "cut" of what you charge! So, sellers who don't offer free postage now have to factor that in when setting the postal charges.

Also from one of my ebay listings. This is once again for anything that is within the 5mm height.
Postage for this item within Australia is free.
I pay the .70c postage.

This is not a criticism of you Dave but this is the way I do it and I haven't had many problems. In fact a forum member received a patch from me just last week that cost him AUD$2.80 in postage. Actual postage was $2.75 and I take .05c for the cost of the envelope, letter etc.

Some of us don't take a profit on the postage. See the screenshot of where last week I refunded AUD$16.15 to a buyer who had overpaid the postage.
payp.png

Better than this seller in England who charges GBP 18.60 (approx. AU $39.93) to send a beret to Australia or two cloth patches for GBP 14.50 (approx. AU $31.13) when last week I sent 9 metres of medal ribbon to the UK by airmail postage with tracking for AU$21.10 (GBP 9.75).

Rhodesia Special Forces Selous Scouts Beret with Metal Badge
Bosnian Volunteers and Bosnian Croats Cloth Patches

[manchesters]

The issue here is clear.

To insure OR not to insure.

Some sellers will only send badges etc insured and some dont see the need.

regards

[RCN]

Originally Posted by Bill A

The issue of shipping costs is seriously impacting our hobby. Nearly every Canadian I have spoken with say Ebay's GSP is a money grab on their part, which some dealers manipulate. Canada Post isn't far behind. Rates have climbed in the last few years and small packages with proof of delivery make it cost prohibitive to sell certain types of insignia. Perhaps this will spark more interest in local and region shows and fairs.

I am in agreement with Bill. Postage costs are a problem for collectors & vendors in Canada - our postal rates seem to go up each year, usually early in the year or in the spring. Sending a cloth badge or cap ribbon via letter post is still an option(I have send both via letter post), but legally only paper can be sent via letter post.
Parcel post no longer exists, it is now X-Pedited Post, but at least X-Pedited Post is Tracked, which when sending to some countries is the only option will entertain. Signature is optional but of course with an additional charge.

I have found even to send a small package say to USA (in a jet pack) I am looking at a minimum of C$8 post, if to UK or Europe more like a minimum of C$15. I seldom send to AU or NZ but again the cost from Canada can be very high.

Now, I will tell you what really ticks me off is ebay's ABSOLUTELY ILLEGAL IMPORT charges!!!! I don't buy from any vendor that charges these illegal charges, only Canada Customs has the legal authority to levy Import charges & this is done when the item(s) arrive at Canadian Customs, & we get hit when we pick up the parcel at the postal outlet. & the other annoying non option is the ebay GLOBAL SHIPPING Program, another ebay rip off! I don't purchase from vendors that claim FREE SHIPPING then in next sentence say they participate in this ebay rip off - the post is way more in this 3rd party program, with of course ebay taking a big cut of the total cost! & of course when it arrives at my end I have no way of determining what the actual post cost was - ie: how much I have been overcharged!!!

If I don't like the quoted post charge I write the vendor & ask, depending upon his/her response depends upon if I will bid or not. Some don't even have the courtesy to respond!

& if I have offended anyone - I apologize in advance, but this post crap really ticks me off !!!!!!!!!!!!!

RCN Bryan

[RCAF_Mike]

I agree with what has been said regarding postal fees from the seller's point of view. As a frequent ebay seller, I must charge a "tracked" value and ship it as such so that I can prove delivery in the event I get a potential chargeback. I've had this happen a few times, recently I lost out on a couple hundred bucks, because somewhere along the line the postal service neglected to scan the item so delivery never got confirmed. The Buyer got his money back and probably the badge too! The shipper, in my opinion, has every right to charge enough to get tracked shipping in order to protect his sale. Now, that having been said, I usually charge a fixed amount based on the buyer's location, with the promise to refund any extra postage money after the parcel is shipped. This I always do without delay.